Baroness Nicholson 'cancelled' by Booker board

Daily Mail article: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8531731/Baroness-Emma-Nicholson-launches-passionate-defence-free-speech.html

Thank you. I may email them again.

I got a reply on Tuesday. My comments have been noted and passed on to the Trustees.

Anyone heard back from the Booker people? I emailed them 10 days ago but so far nothing.

Sorry, missed the other thread!

wildwomanwritingclub.wordpress.com/2020/07/03/we-call-upon-the-booker-prize-to-apologise-to-baroness-nicholson/comment-page-5/#comments

This could do with more publicity. I hope at least it makes the Baroness feel better.

I agree. Most of the women are speaking out are left leaning. Most of the (small number) of politicians who have spoken out are right leaning.

My guess is that in part any prominent Labour MP who spoke out would be crucified. And that most GP politicians on the Tory front bench, and Kirkup tells us they exist, also fear for damage to their careers.

and most of the outspoken women are left-leaning id say

paul embury for red labour is GC

Around the Baronesses objections to equal marriage, referring to it possibly lowering the status of women and girls... I'm guessing here, but I think it might be around some of the issues raised by the recent Freddie McConnell case. 'Mother' means something unique in UK law and is the basis for safeguarding babies. If there is no 'mother', things are more complicated.

Jenny Marra for Labour. She's in Scotland though.

Needmoresleep It's interesting that even your list of Tories is slim pickings, consisting of people who you "would not be surprised" if they were GC, and even then, we don't know whether Wakefield is a member of the Tory Party, though it's fair to say she's pro-Tory.
In a similar vein (non-MPs who generally support Labour but we're not quite sure whether they're members) there's Ruth Serwotka, cofounder of Woman's Place, and her husband Mark, the leader of the PCS union, who is said to have rejoined Labour in 2016.

I am also curious about Carrie Symonds. She has different reasons for not speaking out on contentious issues, but was extremely brave on John Warboys. She is also close to Nimco Ali. My guess would be GC. I would also not be surprised if Dominic Cummings wife, who has a senior position at the Spectator, were GC.

Labour though? Beyond Lord Moonie, I struggle to think of anyone. Why?

Although not an MP, Caroline Ffiske has been doing sterling work writing about all this - writes in Conservative Woman.

ChattyLion,

I would also give an honorable mention to Jackie Doyle-Price who before the last election used her mental health remit to make some good statements on ROGD.

The big one is Liz Truss. One false step, and they will decend on her. It will make Priti Patel, for different reasons, and Baroness Nicholson look like a warm up.

My uncle, dad and grandfather did a lot of work for children’s/ young people’s charities and welfare organisations (and local political groups). All were honking atheists but very strong socialists (when socialism was about fairness and equality).

Thanks Needmore, quite right I had forgotten that Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson had been speaking out actively for women in sport and was hounded on Twitter for it too. Thanks for the reminder. UK women have three people out of 300 in the unelected chamber that have spoken up. Since the last GE, as you say, there’s only David TC Davis MP in the Commons.

I think Nicholson is only the second member of the House of Lords (after Lord Moonie) that has been active on this at all.

Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson had her sponsors piled on when she spoke out on sport.

Whilst in the other house there were several formal complaints made against David TC Davis MP.

Sticking your head above the parapet brings the fire.

Sunday Times article:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/5a45470a-b8ab-11ea-809a-a9cf0f6249f6?shareToken=9151349ab1e45a7390916637961c5a0f

I am quite disturbed that anyone would seek to distance themselves from anyone, let alone someone with the wonderful record and abilities to get stuff done as the Baroness, just because that person holds (or did hold) a now out of favour but mainstream view. A view held by a range of types of people and for a number of different reasons.

I can't follow this at all. It's as if holding the "right" opinion on gay marriage outweighs a decades-long record of actually stepping in to lift up oppressed people, in particular children, to change their lives. As if opinions outweigh actions. I don't understand that at all, nor why people have to constantly refer to the fact that they are atheist and so disagree with her on that. What does it matter? Isn't it wonderful that there are Christians who actually try to live Christian lives, as in helping those in need, making this world a better place? Isn't that what counts?

I would actually be interested to know why she holds/held that view, why she felt it might damage women and girls.

I would like to know this too.

Just thinking about this comment.. is agreeing with someone on some things (but not on other things) really best described ‘choosing’ that person ‘as a political ally’ though?
Isn’t that just a coincidence of views? Especially since (if you believe in biological reality and safeguarding and in women’s rights) as a lot of people do... then it would be quite a challenge to come to any alternative view. Therefore this would be quite a frequently occurring coincidence of views.
I think Nicholson is only the second member of the House of Lords (after Lord Moonie) that has been active on this at all.
‘Ally’ also implies more co-ordinating or people being strategically ‘led by’ someone to do kind of formal campaigning than is actually happening here.

‘Choosing political allies‘ through this lens sounds a bit like a purity test of the person having to have a perfect record on every political issue which isn’t possible.

Saying all that ^ women from all political and all social and demographic backgrounds are needed to represent their own communities’ views on these issues, and to represent the issues back into their own communities. Baroness Nicholson is doing a very helpful job of that by raising awareness in her own sphere. Good.

It is a brilliant article.

If the Baroness is a homophobe then so is the gay HR Director friend of mine who remains anti same sex marriage for his own philosophical reasons.

Yes, it's a brilliant article by Janice Turner today. Very clear, accurate and to the point

I'm impressed by the Baroness's ability to get results, and I'd be interested to hear more about her views on the potential negative effects of equal marriage on women and girl's too, although it's rather a moot point now.
I would like to understand this too.

I like to find out what people think and why and understand where they are coming from. It is rarely so black and white and there are usually reasons. I don't have to believe the same thing nor agree with their reasons, and neither will I become contaminated if it is not the 'right thing'.